Presto

12
PRESTO
FREIGHT INCREASE
HEARING APRIL 7
Interstate Commerce Commission, Sitting in
Washington Next Week, Will Hear
Protesting Arguments of Music
Trade Organizations.
INJUSTICE OF INCREASES
In reporting to the Chamber on his work as a repre-
sentative of the Committee in the San Francisco hear-
ings Mr. Bates has written:
What It Means.
"Distributors buying direct from the factory must
pay freight charges from the Atlantic Coast to San
Francisco, on which we will say there is an increase
of fifty cents per set; he, in turn, sells his products
to a jobber in Portland, Ore., on which there is an
additional increase of perhaps twenty-five cents per
set. The jobber, in turn, sells his products to a retail
dealer at Salem, Ore., on which there is an additional
increase, and although the increase in freight charges
on the transcontinental movement really represents
an increase of fifty cents per set, by the time same
is delivered to the ultimate consumer, this increase
will not be 50c but more likely $1.50.
"As this particular case has brought to the writer's
mind more forcibly than anything else in the past the
need of some co-operative action in matters affecting
transportation costs to the Music Trades as a whole,
it would seem that the best method of creating some
interest or desire on the part of allied music interests
is through a campaign of education on traffic or trans-
portation matters."
Frank E. Bates, Traffic Manager for Sherman, Clay
& Co., San Francisco, Illustrates That Point
with Enlightening Array of Figures.
The hearings of the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion on the suspension of the new increases in rates
on phonographs and radio sets will be resumed in
Washington April 7 and it is very important that
the music dealers of this country realize the very vital
effect to them of the proposed increases in freight
rates which the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce, various associations in the music and radio
fields are strenuously opposing.
To Represent Music Trade.
The Music Industries Chamber of Commerce will
be represented by R. H. Lockwood, traffic manager Hotel Holman, Athens, New Hostelry with 123
of Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company and W. F. Rooms Recently Equipped with Fine Instruments.
Varin of the Sonora Phonograph Company, who are
The accompanying cut shows the Holman Hotel,
members of the Chamber's Transportation Commit-
tee, and by Alfred L. Smith, secretary and general Athens, Ga., which has just been equipped with a
manager. The case will be handled for the Chamber
by Joseph C. Colquitt, traffic attorney of Washing-
ton.
Frank E. Bates, traffic manager of Sherman, Clay
& Co., of San Francisco, California, and a member
of the Transportation Committee of the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce, brought out a very im-
portant point of interest to the music trade in the
recent hearings in San Francisco on the matter of
the suspension of the new increases in rates on radio
sets and phonographs with radio installation.
Results Last Hearing.
The hearings were held in San Francisco because
of the protest of the Pacific Radio Trade Association,
the Music Trade Association of Southern California
and other associations in the various music fields who
are co-operating with the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce in securing the rate suspension. At
these hearings it was apparent that representatives of
the railroad intended to show what a little percentage
the rate increase would have on the final cost of radio
sets and phonographs.
Mr. Bates, however, on cross examination clearly
showed the fallacy of this attitude, and in fact showed
that the proposed increases, which amount to fifty
THE HOTEL HOLMAN, ATHENS, GA.
per cent in many cases, are repeated several times
over before the product reaches the final consumer.
Gulbransen grand piano by P. H. Burden, the Gul-
bransen dealer in Athens.
The Holman Hotel is centrally located, and has 125
rooms. The Gulbransen grand piano is in a very fine
setting in an attractive location in the hotel building.
GULBRANSEN GRAND PIANO
FOR BIG GEORGIA HOTEL
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Fine Electric Self-Players of eye-
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Nelson -Wiggen Piano Co.
1731 Belmont Ave.,
CHICAGO
SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISER
MUST KNOW HIS TRADE
Publicity Expert Warns Manufacturers There Is No
Cure-All for Their Troubles.
The greatest danger that advertising faces is the
fact that too much is expected of it, according to
Albert D. Lasker, President of Lord & Thomas, one
of Chicago's largest advertising agencies and formerly
Chairman of the United States Shipping Board, who
spoke last week at a luncheon given at the Advertis-
ing Club. Manufacturers have grown to think of it
as a cure-all for their troubles, he said.
"Advertising is the greatest force that has come to
the aid of the distribution of goods in the past twenty
years," he said, "but it cannot accomplish every-
thing. It cannot do much for merchandise that is
not good enough to sell without advertising. No
man can do anything for an advertiser who does not
understand his own business."
According to Mr. Lasker the latest methods in ad-
vertising have been learned from the old advertisers
of quack patent medicines.
"In those days the advertisers used to make use
of testimonials from unknown persons," he said.
"Modern advertising tries to get testimonials from
celebrities. The theory is exactly the same. The only
difference is that the modern application of it is
sound."
A branch of the A. I. Ross Music Store has been
opened at 333 Steinway avenue, Astoria, L. I.
April 4, 1925.
TEN PER CENT FOR
BELL COMPANY CREDITORS
Decision by Superior Court Judge Concludes Affairs
of Muncie, Ind., Company.
Creditors of the Bell Piano Co., Muncie, Ind., will
receive 10 per cent of the amount of their claims.
This was determined by Judge Robert Murray in
superior court last week. The concern has been in-
solvent and in the hands of a receiver for some time.
Several weeks ago, the Bell company brought suit
to set aside the sale of its factory buildings by the
receiver, but the court decided that the sale was valid.
The decision by Judge Murray last week will prac-
tically bring to a conclusion the affairs of the Bell
Piano Company which have attracted much attention
in local courts during the past few years.
Nevertheless Olin Bell, former head of the Muncie
industry, was in Chicago last week and said to a
Presto reporter that he had no thought of relinquish-
ing his purpose of forcing a rehearing in the case of
this factory sale. Mr. Bell declares that the sum
accepted by the receiver was many thousands of dol-
lars less than had been offered by another party.
NEW KENTUCKY STORE.
A new music store has been opened up in the
Brunswick Hotel building, Louisa, Ky. The name of
the new firm is The Rose Music Shop and is in
charge of Milton Rose. He is carrying a full and
complete line of musical instruments, including radios.
E. Leins Piano Co.
Makers of Pianos and
Player Pianos That Are
Established L e a d e r s .
Correspondence from Reliable
Dealers Invited
Factory and Offices, 304 W. 42nd Si
NEW YORK
KREITER
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Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
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Factory: Marinette, Wis.
The Lyon & Healy
Reproducing Piano
A moderate priced reproducing piano,
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